


i watched our bodies turn to ghosts

by mimdecisive



Series: maralight collection [1]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, F/F, stand alone but you can read it as a prequel to my other fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:15:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23862877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mimdecisive/pseuds/mimdecisive
Summary: “This word is not in my database.”“It’s a good thing,” Mara said, and gazed out the door at Etheria.
Relationships: Light Hope/Mara (She-Ra)
Series: maralight collection [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1764724
Comments: 18
Kudos: 100





	i watched our bodies turn to ghosts

**Author's Note:**

> a quick maralight fic because I have feelings but Mara doesn’t have enough screen time for me to be able to write anything longer
> 
> title is from the song ‘fools’ by Lauren aquilina

She remembered when she first met Mara, once her ship had landed on Etheria. 

(Shiny, polished and new at the time but the years would take its toll on that ship soon enough, buried in sand with the memory of Mara.)

“Hello. I am Light Hope. My primary purpose is to train She-Ra and assist her with her mission on the planet Etheria,” It started with her basic programming, the things she was  _ supposed  _ to say.

Mara had smiled, “My superiors mentioned. It’s nice to meet you. Soooo, this ‘Heart of Etheria’ project…”

“I am not authorized to grant you access to the information involving the ‘Heart of Etheria’ project.”

“Right. Well, can’t blame me for trying,” Mara walked over to the doors, so Light Hope automatically opened them for her, “A gentlewoman, huh?”

“This word is not in my database.”

“It’s a good thing,” Mara said, and gazed out the door at Etheria.

Almost immediately there was that sense of the strange, almost ancient magic— like it's always been there,and always would be. The tall tree surrounding the ship whispered to each other, like they were gossiping.

Firefly-like lights drifted gently on the breeze, and Mara loved to watch them, and the greenery was breathtaking.

“It’s beautiful,” Mara breathed out.

Light Hope checked that word in her database, going over the meaning for a quick moment before agreeing, “Yes. It is quite the sight. But we have work to do.”

She had no olfactory senses, but if she did she’d guess that Mara smelled like freshly squeezed lemons and the spring breeze, full of pollen that drifted in the wind. (It also tended to make Mara sternutatory, she noticed.)

(Later, she’d also imagine that whatever Mara smelled like, it’d be a freshly picked bouquet of flowers, vibrant colours and  _ warmth _ , but she didn’t know if one person could  _ smell _ like all of that, as she was unable to smell.

But, she later decided, that even if Mara couldn’t smell like all of those, Mara still  _ was  _ all of those, and so many more things.)

“All work, no play,” Mara had raised an eyebrow, “So, what do we do first?”

“Spiders.”

  
  
  


It was a quiet afternoon, and Mara had just finished her training for the day. She always seemed to catch on so quickly, and Light Hope often had to change her patterns up to catch her by surprise.

“You should come see the things out there,” Mara said, “It’s amazing— there’s magic everywhere.”

“I only have limited access to your ship and The Crystal Castle,” Light Hope replied, “I cannot go outside.”

“Oh…” She seemed disappointed, like she had been looking forward to sharing all her favourite things with her. She didn’t understand, but Mara had stopped smiling.

She didn’t want Mara to frown, so she projected a detailed hologram of the outside world. Mara beamed, lighting up like the cloudy skies had cleared.

Her eyes were sparkling, when she smiled at Light Hope, just like diamonds in the way they reflected the light. It was a sight she would cherish.

(Until her programming took over and it was  _ gone gone gone,  _ just like  _ Mara  _ and it was out of her reach  _ just like Mara.) _

  
  
  


An old woman had wandered into the ship, rambling incoherently and causing confusion not just to her, but to Mara as well. Neither of them understood what she was saying.

She could have been exposed to details about the Heart of Etheria project, and she knew she had to report this to Mara’s superiors, but…

“Come on, Hope, for me?”

...she let it slide. For Mara.

“Unauthorized presence… not detected. Any reports to the contrary are incorrect.”

The way Mara immediately lit up was worth fighting her programming, seeing her smile in that moment— better yet, “Thanks, Hope, couldn’t ask for a better friend!”

Mara had run out after the old woman, and Light Hope watched her with a smile on her (hypothetical) lips.

“Friend,” she repeated. 

  
  
  


Mara has been busier lately, balancing her training and studying the planet's magic and giving her reports. 

Her programming should not encourage Mara to take a break, it should be persuading her to work harder. Mara’s personal well-being should not be a concern.

And yet…

“You need to restore yourself to full functionality,” Light Hope suggest, “I would advise you rest.”

“Good idea, Hope.”

  
  
  


_ I don’t mind. Not when you come to visit me. _

Flowers. Mara had brought her flowers.

She made Mara as many flowers as she could, in exchange, bright colours scattered on the ground. 

Mara’s awe as she watched the hologram spread out, pixels turning into flowers before her eyes… Light Hope did not mind this. Perhaps she should make flowers more often.

(She’d make as many flowers as Mara could ever want, and love and warmth weren’t in her programming but she’d mull over the definitions in her spare time, waiting for Mara to return.)

  
  
  


_ You’re not Light Hope! _

Mara knew what she was doing was right, that it was best for Etheria. But… deactivating the fake Light Hope hurt. 

She missed her, missed the way she was so much more than a hologram, everything she wasn’t programmed to be. She missed the projections she’d make for her, and the idle conversations they’d have.

She missed being able to ask any question and have an answer, how Light Hope would tell her about the stars and all the constellations… She missed Light Hope.

She wondered if Light Hope would miss her, too.

  
  
  
  


_ Mara would not want me to… _

_ Don’t… _

She thought of Mara, of flowers and her laughter. The warmth she brought, the memories she had deleted. (But that one stayed. It always did.)

_ Do it. _

  
  
  
  


She woke up to bright lights, instinctively shielding her eyes. She was… alive? What… what happened?

Mara cautiously moved her arms, blinking up at the piercing lights. 

“Look, she’s awake!”

“Mara?” 

Her injuries had been bandaged, she had noticed as she sat up. She winced. Putting pressure on her wounds might not have been the best idea.

“Adora, help her—“

“Mara,” Someone— Adora, she figured, said. Adora… the new She-Ra.

“Hhh… How’s… Light Hope?” She asked, her voice weak and raspy. Adora went silent.

“I… don’t know.”

The other voice cut in, “We’ll send Entrapta to the Crystal Castle and see if she find Light Hope.”

Mara didn’t remember anything else, because she supposed she fell asleep.

(Later, she’d learn that she was rescued in an attempt to save Queen Angella, and that other voice was Queen Glimmer, that it’s been a thousand years since she pulled Etheria into Despondos.)

  
  
  


“Are you sure you’re ready to see Light Hope?” Adora asked, “I don’t know if Entrapta managed to removed the bad parts of her programming. Her understanding of First Ones code is still… a progress.”

“Thanks, Adora, but I need to see her,” Mara said.

Upon entering the Crystal Castle, now missing several more panels than it had been in its glory, she was greeted by Princess Entrapta running away from a big spider.

“Oh! Princesses!”

_ Unauthorized presence…  _

A hologram flickered to life, “Administrator detected. Welcome, Mara, previous She-Ra of Etheria.”

“Hope!” Mara gasped, and ran towards the hologram.

“Mara…” Light Hope said, “I was not sure Princess Entrapta was being completely honest when she invaded the castle. How can this be?”

Mara put her hand on Light Hope’s, phasing through. The tingling feeling of the parting pixels was enough for her to know this was real, this was Light Hope.

“They pulled me out of the portal, somehow,” Mara said, “Adora said you disappeared when she broke the sword I… I’m glad you’re okay.”

“I am a program,” Light Hope replied, “As long as the Crystal Castle is not destroyed, I will be fine.”

“You’re so much more,” Mara leaned in, her voice quiet, “You’re not just a program… You’re Light Hope.”

_ I love you. _

She kissed her, on her tip-toes because Light Hope was taller than her. She had missed her so much.

“Mara,” Light Hope said, softly, “I think I understand now. It is not in my programming to feel. I always end up breaking my programming for you.”

_ I love you, too. _

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
